Former England international Rob Lee, while speaking exclusively with FootballFanCast, has expressed his concerns over Everton signing rumoured January target Sami Khedira from Juventus.

The Toffees are believed to be one of several sides eying a winter move for the outcast midfielder, with Calciomercato citing Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues, plus Tottenham Hotspur and Championship promotion-chasing trio AFC Bournemouth, Norwich City and Watford as potential destinations.

Juventus are eager to offload Khedira in the mid-season market after the German was deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Andrea Pirlo, who is yet to call on the 2014 World Cup winner to play a single minute across all competitions so far this season.

Khedira has accepted the fact that his future will not reside in Turin beyond the end of January, but Lee – who made 267 Premier League appearances for Newcastle United – does not believe the £185,000-per-week veteran would be an improvement on Ancelotti’s current squad.

“Are you buying him for his name and what he's done in the past? Do they need him? I'm not sure they do. I’m not sure he’s the sort of player they need,” Lee told Football FanCast.

“When they've got their 11 players out, their fit 11 players, they are a match for anybody, I mean anybody, in that league. They can play as well as anybody. But it’s strength in depth what they need.

“Is he going to come in and be a bit-part player? Probably not. Just hope they are not going to sign him just for the sake of his name. Is he the sort of player you need? I'm not sure. I think, get your full-backs back and they’ll be good.”

Khedira has endured a continual decline at Juventus over the past three seasons, with injuries seeing the 33-year-old go from a regular at the Serie A giants in 2017/18 to making just 10 league outings in 18/19 and 12 in 19/20.

The veteran German has not been seen on the field for an Italian top-flight fixture since last November, after surgery on a knee injury sidelined Khedira for several months before a tear in the abductor muscle ensured he played no part in Maurizio Sarri’s plans following the restart.

Pirlo now has no use for the one-time Champions League winner since succeeding Sarri at the Allianz Stadium, making a winter move a near certainty.

It remains to be seen if Everton do offer Khedira a first taste of Premier League football in the twilight years of the £3.6m-rated midfielder’s career, after he spoke fondly of his time working under Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

“There are many coaches, even in the Premier League that I respect a lot. Ancelotti is doing a great job at the moment and is a great personality. He is one of the coaches who impressed me,” Khedira told Sky Germany last month.

AND in other news, Marcel Brands has landed a huge break in his bid to final rid Everton of Steve Walsh’s £42m blunder.